Vehicle seat components have previously included side air bag modules and conventionally include trim covers that have an air bag release seam through which an air bag upon deployment is projected outwardly from within the seat to provide occupant protection. Different constructions have been utilized to permit passage of the air bag past the foam seat padding when inflated by an inflator for movement from within the seat component outwardly through the trim cover release seam.
One example of a construction is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,621,557 to Tracht et al. ('557 patent). The '557 patent discloses a vehicle seat component including a side air bag module mounted on a frame within a trim cover that also covers a seat pad. An air bag guide includes flexible inner and outer panels that extend between a release seam of the trim cover and the air bag module to provide a guiding function to an air bag upon inflation so as to project outwardly through the release seam for use. An inner extremity of the flexible inner panel of the air bag guide has a grommet that is secured to a frame by a threaded stud and a nut that also mounts the air bag module on the frame, and the inner extremity of the flexible outer panel is secured in any suitable manner to the seat component.
Another example is disclosed in U.S. Publication No. 2008/0129021 to Bozintan et al. (“Bozintan Publication”). The Bozintan Publication discloses an airbag deployment device. An airbag system for a vehicle seat has an airbag module coupled to a vehicle seat frame by a fastener assembly and substantially surrounded by a force cloth. An isolator is substantially disposed between the force cloth and the frame. The isolator generally includes a sheet of material and a spacer positioned, in proximity to the fastener assembly, between the airbag module and seat frame.
Other examples include U.S. Pat. No. 7,325,825 to Tracht; U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,151 to Wu; U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,603 to Genders et al.; and U.S. Publication No. 2008/0111405 to Tracht et al.